1. Technical Field
This invention relates to mixing devices and, more particularly, to a power operated salt pellet mixing device.
2. Prior Art
Domestic water softeners remove hardness from raw water by passing it through a tank containing a liquid treatment medium bed, typically formed of resin beads. A salt solution, that is brine, is passed through the resin bed to restore its softening capacity. The brine is formed in a container that is connected by a liquid flow passage to the tank containing the resin beads. The flow of liquid through the liquid flow passage is regulated by a control valve that is actuated by an electronic regeneration control circuit.
Salt, typically in the form of chunks or pellets, is placed in the container. Under the control of the electronic regeneration control circuit, the control valve allows a predetermined amount of water to enter the container. Provided enough salt is present, the water and salt form a saturated salt solution, or brine, which is the regenerant for the resin bed. Again, under the control of the electronic regeneration control circuit, the control valve is actuated to cause the brine to be withdrawn from the container and circulated through, and thereby regenerate, the resin in the tank.
The amount of salt remaining in the container is reduced each time a portion of the salt is dissolved to form a regenerant. The supply of salt will become exhausted after a number of regeneration cycles, unless additional salt is placed in the container. Such that the salt supply will not become exhausted, it is desirable to provide some type of alarm to indicate that the salt supply is close to being exhausted. Such an alarm may be formed as a part of the electronic regeneration control circuit.
When loosely compacted salt pellets or cube-style salt is used in a resin, it may form tiny crystals of evaporated salt, which are similar to table salt. These crystals may bond, creating a thick mass in the brine tank. This phenomenon, commonly known as ‘mushing’, may interrupt brine production. Brine production is the most important element for refreshing of the resin beads in a water softener. Without brine production, a water softener is not able produce soft water.
Accordingly, a need remains for a power-operable salt pellet mixing device to break masses of salt crystals formed in salt tanks and overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a tool for breaking up crystallized salt in water softeners. Such a tool would be small in size, convenient, efficient and simple to use and includes a drill for easy and powerful operation.